The 4 candidates running to become head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party made their last-minute appeals for support on Tuesday, a day before what looks set to be a tightly contested LDP presidential election.

The LDP leadership election will be expected to end up in a runoff between vaccination minister Taro Kono and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida as the first round of voting is not expected to deliver a decisive winner with majority support, according to reports.

The next leader will substitute outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who serves as president of a ruling party that has been struggling to shore up an economy battered by measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. The public, meanwhile, is seeking leadership skills and accountability from the new leader, qualities judged to be lacking in Suga.

The winner in Wednesday’s election will become the public face of the LDP in the Lower House election this fall, a factor that has made some young lawmakers cautious about who to back with their political futures at stake.

Two of the four contenders are women i.e, former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi and former gender equality minister Seiko Noda, and all have largely turned to virtual meetings to rally support during less than two weeks of campaigning held under a COVID-19 state of emergency covering for Tokyo and 18 other prefectures.

Tim Maier: Yesterday’s Logic Will Deliver You Today’s Greatest Loss.

Canada’s Green Party chief resigns after election loss

North Korea demands Biden govt to permanently stop joint military exercise